About the U.S. Department of Labor

About the U.S. Department of Labor The United States Department of Labor is a cabinet-level department in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government headed by the U.S. Secretary of Labor as appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of the U.S. Senate. The Department of Labor is responsible for workplace safety and health, wage and hour standards, racial diversity, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and maintenance of key labor-related economic statistics. As a regulatory department, the Department of Labor has the power to create federal regulations deemed necessary to implement and enforce labor-related laws and policies enacted by Congress. Department of Labor Fast Facts The United States Department of Labor is a cabinet-level, regulatory department in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government. The Department of Labor is headed by the U.S. Secretary of Labor as appointed by the President of the United States with the approval of the Senate.The Department of Labor is primarily responsible for the implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations relating to workplace safety and health, wage and hour standards, racial diversity, unemployment benefits, and re-employment services. The purpose of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners of the United States, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment. In carrying out this mission, the Department administers a variety of federal labor laws guaranteeing workers rights to safe and healthful working conditions, a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay, freedom from employment discrimination, unemployment insurance, and workers compensation. The Department also protects workers pension rights; provides for job training programs; helps workers find jobs; works to strengthen free collective bargaining; and keeps track of changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements. As the Department seeks to assist all Americans who need and want to work, special efforts are made to meet the unique job market problems of older workers, youths, minority group members, women, the handicapped, and other groups. In July 2013, then Secretary of Labor Tom Perez summarized the purpose of the Department of Labor in stating, â€Å"Boiled down to its essence, the Department of Labor is the department of opportunity.† Brief History of the Department of Labor First established by Congress as the Bureau of Labor under the Department of the Interior in 1884, the Department of Labor became an independent agency in 1888. In 1903, it was reassigned as a bureau of the newly-created cabinet-level Department of Commerce and Labor. Finally, in 1913, President William Howard Taft signed a law establishing the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce as separate cabinet-level agencies as they remain today. On March 5, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson appointed William B. Wilson as the first Secretary of Labor. In October 1919, the International Labour Organization chose Secretary Wilson to chair its first meeting, even though the United States had not yet become a member nation. On March 4, 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Frances Perkins to be Secretary of Labor. As the first female cabinet member, Perkins served for 12 years, becoming the longest-serving Secretary of Labor. Following the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the Department of Labor made the government’s first concerted effort to promote racial diversity in the hiring practices of labor unions. In 1969, Secretary of Labor George P. Shultz imposed the Philadelphia Plan requiring Pennsylvania construction unions, which had previously refused to accept black members, to admit a certain number of blacks by an enforced deadline. The move marked the first imposition of racial quotas by the U.S. federal government.

Publicly traded corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Publicly traded corporation - Assignment Example By doing so, when customers go for shopping, they get quality products and quality assistance from the attendants thereby making the customers feel delighted and satisfied (Karen, 2001). With this vision, Woolworth ensures that the customers make repeat sales. The organizations vision is â€Å"to continue to drive its retail business, bring to customers greater convenience, quality, lower prices and better value, range, freshness and service.† The whole reason for an organization to have a vision is to remain relevant in the industry and to ensure its sustainability in the future. With this vision, Woolworth has embarked on industry and market research in order to ensure its survival in the industry. Its survival depends on the growth of the company, the growth of its employees, satisfaction of its customer base, quality and durable products, affordable and competitive prices, innovation, creativity and better customer service. (Comyns, 2000). The stakeholders also have an imp act on the success of any organization. Stakeholders are people who have interests in an organization. Stake holders in an organization include investors, shareholders, staff suppliers, customers, governing bodies and suppliers, business partners, trade associations and the community that surrounds the organization. All these stakeholders have to be satisfied by the company, thus Woolworth as an organization with stakeholders has to work hard towards the satisfaction of its stakeholders, and when they are satisfied, it means that the business is successful. Stakeholders play an important role in the success of the company, thus Woolworth aims at appreciating the importance of the stakeholders in the organization. Apart from this, the organization involves the stakeholders in the development, implementation and managing of business goals and objectives. Woolworth also informs the stake holders of culture associated with the company. Furthermore, Woolworth ensures a good relationship with the stake holders to avoid any disruption of the business. When a section of the stakeholders demand a resource, the company plans for the particular resource, ensures the particular stake holder is satisfied and that the business continues with its smooth operation. Woolworth also ensures flow of communication between the company and the stakeholders at all times when something happens. Lastly, Woolworth arranges for community development projects, medical camps and educational sessions for the stakeholders (Anderson, 2005). All these are done to satisfy the stakeholders as they are important to the success of the company. Five forces of competition to determine how they impact the company Rivalry in the industry Woolworth faces competition from four major competitors namely Sears, Wal-Mart, Kmart and Kholac Corporation. These are the main players in the industry each with a large customer base. Since these five companies are the main players, the industry has been slow in gro wth because the market has been dominated by these retail giants. Woolworth has to compete with these other equally successful organizations. It therefore has to up its game in terms of employee satisfaction and motivation, customer delight and satisfaction and innovation (Institution, 2011). Woolworth has to ensure that the products it holds in its shelves